Green Pages Feed Trade Topics from the Island of Ireland


REDUCING ANTIMICROBIAL USAGE: A KEY FOCUS OF THE BRITISH SOCIETY FOR ANIMAL SCIENCE CONFERENCE IN DUBLIN By adopting a different mindset, farmers can develop production systems that are less reliant on the use of antibiotics, according to Belgian veterinarian Dr. Catharina Berge. “There is increasing pressure on the farming industry to come up


with voluntary programmes that will act to significantly reduce the level of antimicrobial usage currently recorded across all livestock sectors,” said Berge. “But if this does not happen, national governments and bodies such as the European Union will step in and introduce legislation, which will severely reduce the usage of antibiotics within agriculture.” The owner of Berge Veterinary Consulting BVBA recently spoke


at the British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) annual meeting in Dublin. “But the good news,” she explained, “is that farmers can develop


businesses that are less reliant on the use of antimicrobials if they commit to putting in place management systems that are dedicated to putting the needs of animals first at all times. “Increased stress predisposes animals to disease,” continued


Berge. “In order to minimise this challenge, farmers must commit to addressing all aspects of the farm management systems they operate. This will include a complete overhaul of biosecurity measures, animal welfare standards and feeding systems.” According to Berge, the fundamental starting point for farmers


committing to an antimicrobial reduction programme is the completion of an initial audit. “This can be carried out by an independent consultant,” she said.


“Its purpose is to assess all of the current management programmes that are operational within the business. Recommendations can then be made on how these can be tweaked in order to meet the specific needs of an individual business moving forward. After that, the farmer must put in place precise auditing measures, which allow the progress, or lack thereof, to be identified on a regular basis.” Berge highlighted the Alltech Antibiotic Reduction programme


for pig farmers as a means of allowing producers to come to grips with the challenge of reducing antibiotic usage levels. “The initial audit only takes a few hours to complete,” she


explained. The aim of the Alltech Antibiotic Reduction programme is


to create a consistently healthy pig and make prophylactic and metaphylaxis antibiotic use redundant. The programme is for pig producers who are interested in achieving higher levels of health in their


PAGE 28 MAY/JUNE 2018 FEED COMPOUNDER


Attending the BSAS conference in Dublin: (l to r) Richard Dudgeon, Alltech; Professor Brendan Gilmore, Queen’s University Belfast; Helen Warren, Alltech; Dr Catharina Berge, Berge Veterinary Consulting, Belgium and Aisling O’Connell, Alltech


herds and are committed to taking steps to achieve these goals. Audits to identify the baseline for the current situation and


recurrent audits to monitor progress are important in order to stay motivated and continue a steady rate of progress. The Alltech team assesses the weaknesses and strengths of the production system and sets up an action plan. In addition to gut health and nutrition components, the programme audits include evaluations of performance, pig welfare, pig respiratory and systemic health, reproductive performance, management, housing, antimicrobial use, biosecurity and cost-effectiveness of production. Recommendations include nutritional solutions, management,


antimicrobial use strategy, biosecurity measures and goals for reproductive performance and productivity in order to optimise pig health at all stages of production. Through the programme, producers have not only achieved


increased productivity and reduced antibiotic use, but they have also found it rewarding to be part of the global action plan to use valuable antibiotics responsibly in order to ensure their viability for future generations. Berge also highlighted the role that mycotoxins can play in compromising animals’ immune systems. “Almost all grain sources contain mycotoxins of one form or


another,” she said. “The same can be said of straw, which is used as a bedding material on a large number of farms.” She noted that there will always be a need for antibiotics to treat


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